The Region : Inmates Riot at Lancaster Jail Facility

Squads of sheriff's deputies were sent to the county jail facility at Mira Loma in Lancaster after "a major inmate disturbance" broke out in the medium-security section, which houses about 800 inmates, sheriff's officials reported. There were no immediate reports of injuries among the inmates. However, neighbors living near the high desert facility told reporters that they saw "small fires all over the place." County fire officials said they had six fire engines and a paramedic unit standing by at the entrance. Most sheriff's stations in the northern part of the county sent patrol deputies to reinforce the staff at Mira Loma. Various local television stations reported getting calls from people claiming to be inmates or relatives of inmates saying that prisoners had set fires, torn up mattresses and were "trashing" the facility to protest what they said was guard brutality.